"Pills N Potions" is a song by Nicki Minaj from her third studio album, The Pinkprint. The song serves as the lead single of the album. It was composed by Onika Maraj, Lukasz Gottwald, Henry Walter, and Ester Dean. The production was managed by Dr. Luke and Cirkut. Minaj did a radio promo tour on the day of release and premiered the song on stations The Breakfast Club, On Air with Ryan Seacrest, Hot 97, Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, and Power 106 with Big Boy. The single was released on May 21, 2014 as a digital download, to Rhythmic radio on May 27, to Urban radio on June 3, to Pop radio on June 10, and re-released to Pop radio on July 15. A music video was shot for the song on May 13-14, and premiered on June 10 on her VEVO account.

It will also be featured in her Myx Fusions commercial. The song was certified Gold in Australia and in the US.

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On April 22, 2014, at an interview with MTV News, she teased the release of a new track around the first days of May which will be nothing like her previously street singles "Lookin Ass" and "Chi-Raq", or like her hit singles "Starships and "Super Bass".[1] On May 2, 2014, Nicki released a street single "Yasss Bish",[2] in which she hinted that she will drop her first single in two weeks (around May 18).[3] During an interview with "The Insider", she confirmed that the single would be released on those dates.[4]

She described the track as her "all-around single" that all her Barbz will really hold on to. In her favorites on Twitter, she badged that the single will have an iTunes premiere. The music video for the song was shot on May 13 and 14.[5][6] In an interview at Powerhouse, she said that she would release the cover on Monday, and the single on Wednesday May 21.[7] She confirmed the name of the song in an interview at the Billboard Music Awards to be "Pills N Potions".[8]

Early morning on May 21, 2014, Minaj posted a snippet of the song on Instagram,[9] and later released the song on her SoundCloud account.[10] The audio was hours later released to Minaj's official VEVO channel at YouTube,[11] and it was finally released as a digital download on iTunes the same day.[12] A lyric video was released to her new Youtube account on May 26. The song was released to Top 40 Rhythmic[13] stations on May 27 and was the #1 most added song of the week. It was released to Urban sations on June 3, 2014. It was released to Top 40 Mainstream (Pop),[14]stations on June 10, 2014. It was later sent to Pop radio again on July 15.

Minaj stated that she wrote the song in April 2014.[15] In New York City, she wrote the first verse. Days later she finished the second verse[16] and sometime in the future she freestyled the bridge.[17]

Minaj confirmed on May 18 that the cover artwork would be released the next day, May 19, and it will be a new photo shoot.[18][19] She released the artwork on May 19 on her Instagram account[20] and hours later she released another cover almost equal, excepting the font.[21]

"Pills N Potions" was produced by Dr. Luke and Cirkut. The song combines genres of pop, hip-hop, and R&B. Sonically, it is a slow-burning piano ballad "framed in the druggy imagery of mixtape rap". It opens with a spare, haunting drum beat, while Minaj sings the pre-chorus in a feather-like near-whisper. As the pre-chorus repeats, an echo effect is added to her vocals, and "blooming" chants of "I still love, I still love, I still lu-uh-uhhhv" are sung to create the songs chorus. During the verses Minaj raps with a sense of urgency. The song is notable in her change of musical style and departure from her EDM work on Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded and gritty hip-hop work she's known for.

The song received universal acclaim from music critics. "Pills N Potions" was universally acclaimed by critics. Zach Frydenlund of Complex called "Pills N Potions" a "monster of a song", saying: "after a few months of steadly dropping her more street singles, Nicki shows—once again—how she can delicately balance pop and hip-hop, while spitting true to her "real rap" promise to fans."[9] Chris Payne of Billboard felt Minaj was sincere in her delivery of the song's personal lyrics, and went on to call it a "crowd pleaser" with something for every listener to enjoy.[7]

Gil Kaufman of MTV News was also positive in his review, saying: "After coming back hard on the singles "Yasss Bish" and "Chi-Raq," the nearly four-and-a-half minute "Potions" is actually a huge move back into the pop game, setting Minaj up for what could be her biggest cross-over hit to date."[12] Although Marc Hogan of Spin found the song's message confusing, he praised Minaj's rapping and said that "when we hear that Rihanna-like "I still lo-uh-uh-ve" hook blasting out of car windows this summer? We'll probably still lo-uh-uh-ve it."[8]

A writer for ClickMusic called "Pills N Potions" a more "traditional" love song compared to those done by Minaj before, and said that "there's plenty of her personality running through it and a welcome depth to the lyrics this time around."[10] Kory Grow of Rolling Stone called the song a "piano rap ballad", and said it comes off as the "diametric opposite" of her last single, "Lookin Ass".[11]

On May 13, Nicki tweeted, "Vid shoot".[5] She instagrammed some BTS pics of her on set. The next day she tweeted, "Shooting this video, wyd?" with a new look suggesting it was a 2-day shoot.[6] The video was shot by Diane Martel and Geoffrey Lillemon. It was released on her VEVO account on June 10, 2014.

Nicki released a lyric video on her new official Nicki Minaj Youtube account on May 26 saying it was just 1 of 2 to be released. It was uploaded to VEVO shortly after. The 2nd was released straight to VEVO on June 6.

Even though what you was doin’ wasn’t tasteful
Even though you out here lookin’ so ungrateful
I'mma keep it movin’ be classy and graceful
I told 'em it’s no friends in the game, you ain’t learned that yet
All the bridges you came over, don’t burn that yet
Niggas want respect, but niggas ain't earned that yet
Self-righteous and entitled but they swearin' on the bible that they love you
When really they no different from your rivals
But I still don’t wish death on ‘em
I just reflect on 'em

I'mma forgive, I won't forget, but I'mma dead the issue
Soon as you out a nigga’s life is when they start to miss you
They see you doin' good now it’s kinda hard to diss you
Niggas be sick when they remember all the bad they wished you
Niggas be mad when they can't come and live lavish with you
But I sped off in a Benzi
I see the envy when I’m causin' a frenzy
So I pop pills for em
Cop cribs in the hills on ‘em